Skip to main content
search

Skilled Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)

The temporary Skilled Graduate Visa (Provisional) (Class VC) (Subclass 485) allows for the entry of recent international graduates to Australia for the purpose of living, studying or working in Australia on a temporary basis.

Highlights

  • You must be in Australia to lodge a valid visa application unless a concession applies, or you are making an application under the replacement stream.
  • This visa allows you to work, study and live in Australia.
  • There are 3 different visa streams: Graduate Work, Post-study Work and Replacement.
  • This is a Temporary visa and allows you to stay in Australia temporarily. The different visa streams determine the length of your visa. Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may be granted a longer stay.
  • You may qualify for a second or third visa in the Post-study stream if you satisfy the residency-based requirement.

Key Eligibility requirements

Common criteria for all streams
  • You must hold or have held an eligible student visa in the last 6 months unless a concession applies.
  • You must demonstrate your English proficiency by achieving an overall score of at least 6 with a minimum score of 5 for each of the 4 components on the IELTS test. (Alternative tests can be used including OET, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, CAE). Holders of specified types of passports are exempt from this requirement.
  • You must have adequate arrangements for health insurance.
  • You must satisfy specific Public Interest criteria and Special Return criteria.
  • You must meet health and character requirements, including applying for an Australian Federal Police check in the last 12 months.
  • You must satisfy specific criteria for the visa stream you are applying for.
Graduate Work stream
  • You must have a skilled occupation on the relevant Medium and Long Term Strategic Skilled List (MLTSSL).
  • You must satisfy the Australian Study requirement within the last 6 months unless a concession applies.
  • Your qualifications must be closely related to your nominated occupation.
  • You must have a positive skills assessment from the relevant skills assessment authority concerning your nominated occupation.
Post-Study Work stream
  • You must hold or have held a relevant student visa which application was made on or after 5 November 2011. This visa must have been your first student visa.
  • You must hold a Bachelor Degree, Bachelor (Honours) Degree, Masters by Coursework Degree, Masters by Research Degree, Masters (Extended) Degree or a Doctoral Degree.
  • Your qualifications were awarded by an institution registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students.
  • You must satisfy the Australian Study requirement within the last 6 months unless a concession applies.
Replacement Stream
  • You must hold or have held a first Subclass 485 visa as the primary applicant. This visa must have been granted before 15 December 2021 and in effect on or after 1 February 2020.
  • If you were offshore when your first Subclass 485 visa was granted, you must have entered and subsequently departed Australia on that visa before 15 December 2021.
  • If you were onshore when your first Subclass 485 visa was granted, you must have been offshore at any time between 1 February 2020 and 15 December 2021 while holding that visa.
COVID-19 concessions are available to assist subclass 485 visa applicants in complying with visa requirements such as the Australian Study Requirement.

Additional concessions apply under the Graduate Work stream from 1st July 2022 to 30 June 2023. These concessions remove the requirement for a skilled occupation, closely related qualifications and a positive skills assessment.

Please note that the above is not an exhaustive list of requirements. This content is for general information purposes only, it is not immigration advice and must not be construed as such.

While due care has been taken to ensure that the content is kept up-to-date and correct, the currency and thus accuracy of the information cannot be guarantee due to the frequent changes in migration law.

Contact us if you would like to know more about this visa or need immigration advice.

ContactBook A ConsultationOur Prices

Other Related Visas

Skilled Independent (Permanent) (Class SI) Subclass 189

The Skilled Independent (Subclass 189) visa is a permanent resident visa for points-tested skilled workers who want to work and live in Australia

Skilled Nominated (Permanent) (Class SN) Subclass 190

The Skilled Nominated (Subclass 190) visa is a permanent resident visa for points-tested skilled workers who have received State or Territory government nomination and want to work and live in Australia.

Skilled Regional (residence) (Class VB) Subclass 887

The purpose of the Skilled Regional (Residence) Subclass 887 visa is to enable provisional General Skilled Migration visa holders to apply for permanent residency. This visa is a permanent visa pathway from the Skilled Regional (provisional) Subclass 489 visa.

Need immigration assistance?
No problem.

We can help you achieve your migration goals.

About Anzscosearch

Who we are?

We are Registered Migration Agents providing honest and transparent advice in relation to Australia’s visa program.

What is Anzscosearch (the tool)?

It is a search engine based on the ANZSCO catalogue that combines all federal and State/Territory skilled occupation lists in one single place.

We also provide useful information for Australia’s visa program.

Is the information provided accurate?

Anzscosearch data draws on information directly provided by third-party official websites and is thus as accurate as of the information on those websites.

Anzscosearch validation and verification processes ensure that all data published is as complete, accurate and reliable as possible.

We have been doing this since 2014.

Close Menu